Water temperature has a major affect on game fish activity in both fresh and saltwater. All fish species have a preferred temperature range in which they are most active and, therefore, more susceptible to being caught. Here are ideal water temperatures for the most popular species of freshwater fish:
| Lower | Most Active | Upper | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Crappie | 60°F (15°C) | 70°F (21°C) | 75°F (24°C) |
| Bluegill | 58°F (14°C) | 69°F (20°C) | 75°F (24°C) |
| Brook Trout | 44°F (7°C) | 58°F (14°C) | 70°F (21°C) |
| Brown Trout | 44°F (7°C) | 58°F (14°C) | 74°F (23°C) |
| Carp | 74°F (24°C) | 84°F (29°C) | 88°F (31°C) |
| Chain Pickerel | 60°F (15°C) | 66°F (19°C) | 74°F (23°C) |
| Catfish | 55°F (13°C) | 82°F (28°C) | 89°F (32°C) |
| Chinook Salmon | 44°F (7°C) | 54°F (12°C) | 60°F (15°C) |
| Coho Salmon | 44°F (7°C) | 54°F (12°C) | 60°F (15°C) |
| Green Sunfish | 73°F (23°C) | 87°F (31°C) | 91°F (33°C) |
| Kamloops Trout | 46°F (8°C) | 49°F (9°C) | 57°F (14°C) |
| Lake Trout | 42°F (4°C) | 54°F (12°C) | 62°F (17°C) |
| Lake Whitefish | 43°F (6°C) | 51°F (11°C) | 63°F (17°C) |
| Largemouth Bass | 50°F (10°C) | 70°F (21°C) | 84°F (29°C) |
| Northern Pike | 56°F (13°C) | 63°F (17°C) | 74°F (23°C) |
| Rainbow Trout | 44°F (7°C) | 61°F (16°C) | 75°F (24°C) |
| Sauger | 55°F (13°C) | 67°F (19°C) | 74°F (23°C) |
| Smallmouth Bass | 60°F (16°C) | 67°F (19°C) | 73°F (23°C) |
| Spotted Bass | 71°F (22°C) | 75°F (24°C) | 80°F (27°C) |
| Steelhead Trout | 38°F (3°C) | 50°F (10°C) | 60°F (16°C) |
| Sunfish | 50°F (10°C) | 58°F (19°C) | 68°F (20°C) |
| Walleye | 50°F (10°C) | 67°F (19°C) | 76°F (24°C) |
| White Bass | 62°F (17°C) | 70°F (21°C) | 78°F (26°C) |
 | How Weather Turns on the BiteThe approach of bad weather turns on fish like nothing else, offering the very best action... |
 | Cool Time for CatsA chill in the air means it's prime time for blue catfish. |
 | Frost BitesIncredible flyfishing awaits those willing to wade into winter. |
 | Fish FrontsFor the fall's best angling, fish impending storm systems. |
 | Fall-time StripersIt's time for the best striper fishing of the year. |
So Outdoor Life is part of a cool contest operated by Crown Royal, sponsor of Field & Stream’s Hook Shots show and maker of the whiskey that comes in a purple bag. The contest is called “Pass the Crown,” and it’s a variation on the Secret Santa gift exchange anyone who’s ever worked in an office is familiar with. Are you lucky enough to have never worked in an office? Then here’s how this works: [ Read Full Post ]
When I first began developing the idea for a weather site, I asked myself: "What kind of weather information is absolutely essential for sportsmen?"
All of us look forward to those magical days when the woods come alive with bucks chasing does or turkeys gobbling from their roosts, or those amazing times when, no matter what you throw, every cast draws a strike. The only problem: No one could predict when those magical hunting and fishing days would occur…until now.
[ Read Full Post ]
Visit Our Sister Sites at Bonnier Corporation
|
Outdoorlife.com is part of the Field & Stream Network, a division of Bonnier Corporation.
Copyright © 2013 Bonnier Corp. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.
